Tinubu backs tourism reforms, receives Nigeria’s highest hospitality honour
Maureen Aguta
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed his commitment to developing Nigeria’s tourism and hospitality industry, pledging continued support for reforms aimed at strengthening professional standards, improving service delivery and attracting investment into the sector.
The President gave the assurance during a meeting with the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), Aare Abisoye Fagade, who presented him with the Grand Fellow of National Hospitality and Tourism (GFNHT), the highest singular honour conferred by the institute.
According to a statement by Dr Boye Longe, Special Adviser on Communication Strategy at NIHOTOUR, the meeting provided an opportunity for Fagade to brief the President on ongoing reforms in the tourism, hospitality and travel industries.
The discussions focused on professional standards, skills development and the implementation of the NIHOTOUR Act 2022, which provides a framework for strengthening the institute’s role in promoting professionalism and accountability across the sector.
The reforms are also designed to improve service quality, enhance industry competitiveness and establish a more credible regulatory environment to support business growth and investment.
Presenting the honour to Tinubu, Fagade highlighted the strategic importance of tourism to Nigeria’s economic diversification drive, arguing that the sector should be viewed beyond leisure and recreation to recognise its potential for job creation, enterprise development and national prosperity.
He said NIHOTOUR was working to build the professional capacity and institutional structures required to transform Nigeria’s tourism potential into tangible economic benefits.
“Our responsibility is to build the professional and institutional foundations that will enable Nigeria’s tourism potential to translate into jobs, investment and sustainable economic growth. The President’s continued support is important to advancing these reforms and positioning the sector for greater national impact,” Fagade said.
The President’s pledge, according to the institute, reinforces the importance of sustained government support for policies and initiatives aimed at positioning tourism as a viable contributor to economic growth.
The development also aligns with the objectives of the Tinubu administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly its emphasis on economic diversification, employment generation and expanding productive activities beyond the oil sector.
Nigeria’s tourism and hospitality industry has significant potential to stimulate investment, support small and medium-sized enterprises, create employment opportunities and generate income across related sectors, including transportation, entertainment, food services and cultural tourism.
However, translating that potential into sustainable growth requires investment in skills, improved service delivery, effective regulation and stronger collaboration between government and private-sector operators.
NIHOTOUR said it remained committed to working with relevant government agencies and private-sector stakeholders to build a professional, competitive and globally recognised tourism industry capable of delivering lasting economic benefits to Nigerians.